This Composite Guitar Looks Like It's Made of Wood

It's a composite guitar that looks like it's made of wood. Blackbird’s El Capitan model is actually made of something called Ekoa, a composite made of flax and industrial waste bioresin. As Wired puts it, "It’s lighter than carbon fiber and has a higher stiffness-to-weight ratio than old-growth Sitka Spruce, the preferred material for high-end soundboards."

“We like to say it’s old-growth wood without the worry,” says Joe Luttwak, company founder. Best of all, the guitar is 30 percent lighter than most acoustic guitars, and—as expected with composite guitars—it doesn't warp, and you don't need to handle it like a precious heirloom (although there's no need to go smashing it at the tail end of "My Generation," either). One interesting tidbit: Its neck is hollow.

To hear how it sounds—and to see how it's built—check out the video below. For more about Blackbird Guitars, head here.